Cheese-follower.



. L. H. PIEPER.

CHEESE FOLLOWER.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 2e. I9I4.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

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A TTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANoGn/IIII cu..wAsIIINGTON. D. c.

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LOUIS I-I. PIEPER, OF PLYMOUTH, VV'ISGONSINl GHEESE-FOLLOWER.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, LoUrs I-I. PIEPER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Plymouth, in the county of Sheboygan and State of Wisconsin,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cheese- Followers,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cheese followers, and one of the principalobjectsl thereof is to provide an improved and simplified followerconstructed of a single sheet or piece of metal, and one which will beextremely sanitary, and eiiicient in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a follower formed of adisk of metal provided with radially pressed ridges alternating withopenings or perforations, whereby practically the entire area of thedisk or follower may be utilized for the proper drainage of whey,instead of the narrow grooves or channels utilized in the old stylewooden followers.

Still another object of the invention 1s. to provide a metallic onepiece follower which is very thin, so that a greater amount of cheesemay be pressed in any given press than could be pressed by the use ofthe old followers. i

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides 1n the construction,combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully describedand claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which likecharacters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalfigures, of which- Figure 1 represents a top plan view of a followerconstructed according to my invention, and Fig. 2 represents afragmentary sectional view taken axially through a cheese hoop, showingthe follower positioned therein.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the follower comprises a Hatdisk 5 formed of suitable metal, and provided with a plurality ofradially extending equally spaced ridges 6. The ridges are stamped .fromthe metal, and terminate at their ends a short distance from theperiphery and the center respectively of the disk. The ridges 6alternate with perforations or openings 7 provided for the passage ofwhey. An opening 8 is also provided at the center of the Specificationof Letters Patent. W l# 1L Application filed October 26, 1914. SerialNo. 868,636. haii it Patented Oct.

disk for 'the same purpose. One' of the openings 7 as indicated at 7a islengthened or made oblong whereby the diskmay be engaged by a hook orsimilar implement for removing the follower from the cheese hoop whenthe cheese has been pressed. The particular number and arrangement `ofthe ridges and openings, may be yariedwith the 'various sizes and shapesof followers in order to produce the best resultin each particular case.

In Fig. 2, 9 indicates the outer portion and 10 the inner portion of apair of gang press hoops of a well known type.l As is usual in thestructure of these hoops, the outside diameter of the inner portion 10is somewhat less than the inside diameter of the outer portion 9, sothat an annular space is left between the hoops through which the wheymay lind its exit. The follower 5 is disposed in the outer portion 9 ofone hoop, in the manner indicated, with the ridges or ribs 6 extendingoutwardly. 'These ribs form a seat for the perforated bottom 11 in theopposite hoop. Said bottom rests at its periphery against the inwardlyextending flange 12 of the outer hoop. It will be noted that the depthof the ribs 6 is somewhat ,.q'reater than the thickness of the flange 12so that a space i s left between said flange and the disk or follower 5to allow passage of whey between these parts. As the cheese is beingpressed the whey percolates through the openings 7 and 8 and runs outbetween the disk and flange 12 and between the adjacent portions 10 and9 of the hoops. It will be noted that almost the entire surface of thedisk may be utilized in draining the whey. This is a distinct advantageover the old style followers in which lgrooves or channels are providedfor this drainage. beca-use the grooves or channels often times becomecongested with whey and grease which block the passages or channels andprevent a thorough drainage of the whey. The grooves are also very hardto keen in a clean and sanitary condition. The rib 6 while spacinothedisk from the bottom 11. forms a good substantial rest for the bottomand will not iniure the latter in any way.

Such a follower as I have provided is of an extremely sanitary nature.for the reason that it may be very readily cleaned and because of thethinness of the metal no whey or grease will remain in the drainageopenings. This follower will last an extremely long time since it ispreferably made of some suitable metal, and is not snb'ject to` breakagesuch as are the old style wooden followers. j V y Although I havedescribed the preferred embodiment of my invention, I may desireVtdmakesnch'changes 1n the construction, 'z combination .and`arrangement of parts thereof as do not depart from the spirit of theinvention and the scopeof the appended claims.I

I claimvw 'Y i l.f cheese follower comprising 'a single flat metal platevhaving la plurality of stamped ridges extending from one 'surfacethereof, whereby the entire surface ofthe plate, exclusive of theridges, may be utilize'd as a whey drainage, said plate having its flatportion only perforated.

2. A cheese follower comprising a single fiat metal plate provided witha plurality of imperforate ribs and provided with a plurality ofperforations arranged between the ribs.

3. In a cheese press, the combination with a hoop Vhaving an inwardlyprojecting Hange, and a bottom adapted to rest against said iange, of afollower comprising a disk having projections pressed from one facethereof,- said projections being of a depth greater than the thicknessof said Harige.

LOUIS I-I. PIEPER. Witnesses:

R. C. KOEH'LER, LEON E. Gnrnsn.

Copies of this patent may he obtained forvive'vcents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Y* Washington, D. C.

